On the 30th of April 2019, Gwanda Ward 6 development committees and the Legal Resources Centre made a progress tour of the Ward. The tour visit started at 11:00 hrs and ended at 14:00 hrs with 8 representatives from the ward committee which consists of different development departments including the department of water, roads, social welfare and health department went on a tour site visit checking on the progress that was taking place since the commencement of the road services by the FORIT contractor company which kicked off on the 16th of April in ward 6 Gwanda urban.
The Legal Resources Centre which took time to facilitate some workshops on 3 different occasions with ward 6 residents sought to educate them on the importance of citizen participation, human rights, duties of the duty bearers, urban council act, rural council act and roles and importance of local governance.
The facilitators who also emphasized on the importance of citizen participation and the significance of attending full council meetings encouraged residents to be conscious of their rights. These include: the right to health, right to life, right to freedom of expression and right to safe and clean water.
The workshops were an eye opener to the residents especially on how to engage with the duty bearers when one’s right is infringed upon and on how to advocate and lobby on service delivery issues. Legal resources Centre played a big role in educating residents also in knowing the laws and by laws of the Urban council and Rural Council Act.
The road project was one of the many projects that has been recorded as the greatest achievement in the ward as residents have stayed for a long time in a dusty and rocky- area. However, when the commencement of the road development started on the 16th of April. Different social challenges were faced including:
- People driving on the new and incomplete road on high speed.
- People removing road signs and stones protecting the road.
- A lot of dust emissions affecting nearby houses and thereby affecting the end product.
- Technocrats lack seriousness in supervising project timelines.
During the tour, residents expressed gratitude over the recent road construction. Committees are working well with Councilor Ponalo Maphala and this has influenced progress in the Ward.
Source: Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD)
